1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to telescopic rifle sights equipped with a transparent reticle designed by the TDS Mental Ballistics Systems, having a plurality of target spanning indicia which provide the rifle person an accurate first shot one-shot kill aiming method for running animal and stationary targets. The indicia allow the rifle person firstly:
A precise method for measuring distance to any size target, and then the same indicia switch function and Provide precise drop compensation aiming points for a point blank zone of two inches for approximately 400 yards beyond any high velocity bullet""s normal point blank range plus thirdly, an accurate Lead Point for running animals
and further concerns a method for aiming with said sight.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Whereas the line of sight between a shooter""s eye and a target, whether using xe2x80x9cironxe2x80x9d sights or a telescopic sight, is a straight line, the trajectory of the rifle bullet is not a straight line, particularly at long distances of bullet flight. Accordingly, it is necessary to know the distance to the target in order to achieve an accurate shot. Once the target distance is known, the rifle can be properly aimed by using the TDS TRI-FACTOR Mental Ballistics System which provides the rifle person the trajectory of any high velocity bullet fired from any rifle without having to rely upon the INGALLS"" tables. When properly aimed, the line of sight will intersect the trajectory path exactly at the target distance.
Telescopic gun sights, often referred to as xe2x80x9cscopes,xe2x80x9d generally contain a transparent flat reticle positioned orthogonally to the line of sight through the scope. The reticle has a single vertical hairline for indicating windage alignment relative to the target and a center horizontal hairline which intersects. said vertical hairline at the center of the reticle, said site of intersection or xe2x80x9ccross hairxe2x80x9d constituting the primary sighting point for the telescope, representing the site of bullet impact at a chosen distance. The reticle is moveable in vertical and horizontal directions by way of calibrated adjustment screws on the exterior of the scope. By firing a series of shots while making compensatory adjustments of the position of the reticle, the shooting system comprised of the bullet type, scope and shooter are xe2x80x9czeroed in,xe2x80x9d a condition wherein the site of bullet impact coincides with the position of the crossed hairlines. It is commonplace for reticles to have a series of secondary horizontal hairlines that intersect the vertical hairline below said center horizontal hairline. The sites of intersection of said secondary hairlines with the vertical hairline designate the bullet impact point at distances progressively further from the distance at which the center cross hair was xe2x80x9czeroed in.xe2x80x9d However, in order to utilize the secondary cross hairs with accurate results, the shooter must know the exact distance of the target.
Various types of range finder systems have earlier been disclosed for telescopic gunsights. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,190,121 to Critchett discloses a reticle having a series of target-spanning rulings disposed above a baseline, said rulings corresponding to associated shooting distances. In use, the shooter ascertains which ruling above the baseline makes the most closely embracing fit on the target, thereby determining the shooting distance. A separate cross hair aiming point is included in the reticle for use in association with each chosen ruling above the baseline.
The principle of the Critchett target-spanning rulings is that certain targets are of known, or at least estimable size. For instance, it is a fairly accurate estimate that in deer or antelope, the distance between the top of the back at the shoulders and the bottom of the chest cavity is about 18 inches. The target-spanning rulings are spaced apart such as to span a known target size at a known range. This manner of distance measurement is consistent with conventional trigonometric considerations wherein the triangle defined by the height of the target and the viewing angle of the telescope""s optical system can be considered a right triangle, which accordingly establishes the length of either of the two sides of the triangle, namely the distance to the target.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,392,450 to Herter et. al. discloses a reticle having a series of target-spanning circles of different diameters which correspond to associated shooting distances. Employing the same basic distance-measuring concept as Critchett, the shooter employs for aiming that cross hair corresponding to the selected circle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,190,003 to O""Brien concerns a range-finding reticle for a telescopic gunsight having single centered vertical and horizontal hairlines. The portion of the vertical hairline below the horizontal centerline is provided with widened bar regions extending various lengths below the centerline. Each bar subtends a target of known size. By finding which widened region corresponds to the height of the target, the shooting distance is determined.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,431,652 to Leatherwood discloses a telescopic gunsight wherein the distance to the target is determined by movement of upper and lower horizontal hairlines along a fixed vertical hairline in a manner so as to bracket the target. Once. bracketed, the intersection of the lower horizontal hairline with the vertical hairline serves as the cross hair aiming point. In this aiming process, the alignment of the scope changes with respect to the gun barrel, whereby the allowance for distance is achieved when the centered cross hair is sighted directly on the target.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,492,733 to Leatherwood discloses a distance-measuring system for a variable power telescopic sight which is pivotally moveable in a vertical plane with respect to the gun barrel upon which it is mounted. Cams within the scope and rotatable by external means achieve vertical movement of the scope so that horizontal framing hairlines will fit the target. A specialized cam must be installed into the scope for each particular ammunition employed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,948,587 to Rubbert concerns a variable power telescopic sight having a reticle provided with a vertical hairline, a center horizontal hairline and three horizontal framing lines disposed below said center horizontal hairline. Aiming is achieved by positioning either the center cross hair or lower cross hairs on the target, as dictated by the observed fit of the target within said framing lines.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,421 to Shepherd discloses a telescopic gunsight having spaced apart primary and secondary reticles which are moveable relative to each other. The secondary reticle is also moveable vertically and horizontally within the plane of the reticle. The moveable two reticle system facilitates adjustments for windage and elevation. Distance to the target is ascertained by framing indicia on said secondary reticle.
The telescopic sights disclosed in the aforementioned Patents and elsewhere are often of limited usefulness insofar as they do not address the several factors that need be considered in the accurate aiming of a rifle, such factors including: distance to target, gravity drop of the bullet, hold over or hold under points, and wind drift correction, which includes the Yaw of Repose, which most shooters understand as xe2x80x9cMagnusxe2x80x9d effect. Said Magnus effect concerns the elevational effects of cross wind, and up hill or down hill correction. Earlier scopes may also require that the shooter look away from the target in order to make compensating adjustments. Some of the scopes may be difficult or slow to use, and some require moveable mounting on the rifle, a situation which subjects the scope to inaccuracy after repeated use, or abuse in rugged field conditions.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a telescopic sight (scope) which enables the shooter to quickly and accurately aim a rifle.
It is another object of this invention to provide a scope as in the foregoing object which may be securely affixed to a rifle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a scope of the aforesaid nature which enables the shooter to accurately aim and fire without having to look away from the scope.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a scope of the aforesaid nature that enables the shooter to define an accurate aiming point in the scope which takes into account distance to the target and other factors that affect shooting accuracy.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a scope of the aforesaid nature that enables the shooter to define an accurate aiming point in the scope which takes into account distance to the target and speed of the running animal to effect an accurate one-shot kill on a running animal.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a scope of the aforesaid nature that enables an ethical hunter to eliminate those shots which result in wounded animals.
This includes, but is not limited to those shot conditions where the bullet""s flight path is no longer predictable, or its killing power is below that which guarantees a proper one-shot kill, or the Magnus crosswind effect may cause the bullet to lower into the gut of the animal. It is yet another object of this invention to provide a scope of the aforesaid nature that enables either a military or police counter-sniper two man team to deliver deadly and instantaneous counter battery fire upon a sniper to ranges in excess of 500 yards, using dissimilar caliber rifles, such as would be the case in a third world country.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a scope of the aforesaid nature which subconsciously programs the mind of the shooter for either a running or stationary shot by presenting a reticle which is appropriate for either type shot.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a scope of the aforesaid nature that provides accurate fast aiming at moving targets.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a scope of the aforesaid nature of durable and simple construction amenable to low cost manufacture.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.
The above and other beneficial objects and advantages are accomplished in accordance with the present invention by an improvement in a telescopic sight for targets of known or estimatable heights in combination with a firearm capable of propelling a bullet along a substantially predeterminable trajectory, said sight having an optical system comprised of a forward objective lens element, a rear eyepiece lens element and intervening erector lens element, said elements being protectively confined within an elongated tubular housing adapted to be affixed to said firearm. The improvement provided by the present invention comprises the addition into said optical system within said housing of a transparent reticle having indicia which provides accurately both the functions of distance measuring and aiming. The reticle is positioned between said objective lens element and said erector lens element. Said indicia comprises orthogonally intersecting center vertical and horizontal hairlines, and four horizontal wind bar lines disposed below said center horizontal hairline in vertically bisected relationship with said center vertical hairline.
The precise configuration and positioning of said wind bar lines is prescribed by xe2x80x9cTDS TRI-FACTOR Mental Ballistics Systemxe2x80x9dwhich is interactive with the bullet""s Energy Maneuverability Curve. It allows the shooter a mental program that is accurate within 1.5 inches of a computer, quicker than a computer, easy to run, and works in a field environment without reliance on voluminous tables such as the Ingalls"" table or batteries, electricity, a computer, or the oftentimes not provided bullet""s Ballistics Coefficient. It computes and corrects bullet drop, drift, Magnus and up hill down hill angle shots with a few seconds. Its accuracy promotes confidence which in turn makes the shooter much more proficient.
The TDS TRI-FACTOR System requires the reticle bars to be capable of both accurate measurement, within (3% of a laser value) of any size animal and to then provide accurate drop compensation for any high velocity bullet. This chameleon-like requirement could only be accomplished by discovering the high velocity bullet""s root source, its Energy Maneuverability Curve or EMC. The Energy Maneuverability Curve provided the mental formulas which are easier, quicker and faster to use than a computer. It provides accurate aiming guidance 250 to 400 yards past the bullet""s Point Blank Range. The reticle accomplishes this by integrating each category of bullet into its five cross hairs, i.e., a .458 Winchester will receive aiming guidance to 350 yards, a .308 to 450, 30/06 to 500 yards, a 7 mm. Remington Magnum to 600 yards, a .300 Weatherby Magnum to 700 yards, and a 30/378 to 800 or 900 yards. The EMC allows the single dedicated reticle to provide accurate aimed fire for any of these various caliber bullets by recognizing that all bullets share one or more common EMC legs during their first second""s time of flight. These legs are illustrated as one of the reticle""s four short cross hairs. As an example, the .257 Roberts/30/378 commonality legs (reticle cross hair) could be a 257 Roberts 200 to 300 yard leg and be illustrated by its #2 cross hair, whereas the 30/378""s shared leg would be its 600 to 700 yard leg, the 5th cross hair. The single TRI-FACTOR reticle performs the same tasks for all calibers. The one dedicated reticle interfaces with all rifle calibers. Bullet drop adjustment remains accurate for all cartridges. Wind Bars correct accurately (+/xe2x88x921.5 mph) for all cartridges to 600 yards.
I. Description: The described rifle scope/method/reticle works with any high velocity cartridge, measures distance to any size target, confirms the bullet""s kill zone; then provides an accurate Aiming Point to 800 yards corrected for drop, wind deflection, Magnus and angle; provides an accurate lead point for running animals to 400 yards.
II. Background: The TDS TRI-FACTOR was invented by an avid big game hunter and combat fighter pilot who instructed seven years at the Jet Fighter Instructor and F-4 Combat Crew Training gunnery schools. He also spent 4 xc2xd years as a competitive shooter, making the U.S. Olympic Shooting Team and broke what ended up being the oldest world record in international sports. Based upon his studies and his book, Tactical Stress Management, he and his students, have broken 150 national records in competitive shooting. He integrated this and the TDS TRI-FACTOR MENTAL BALLISTICS METHOD to invent the TDS TRI-FACTOR.
A. Advantage: The Reticle is similar in result to the F-16 fighter aircraft""s reticle""s computing gunsight as it sequentially provides shot adjustment corrected for all pertinent inflight bullet deflectionsxe2x80x94without taking the shooter""s eyes off the target.
B. Benefit: Once acquired, the eyes never leave the target. The shooter corrects the Aiming Point in a manner similar to sliding a transparency over a target. No more Kentucky windage or Arkansas elevation. No more lost opportunities while you crank knobs or use the xe2x80x9cHeads Downxe2x80x9d display. You make the shot while your system is at it sharpest potential, one second for running game four to five seconds for a 600 yard shot.
III. The Mental Ballistics Program:
A. Measurement.
1. The TDS TRI-FACTOR employs Analytic Trigonometry""s Cartesian equation (Encyclopedia Britannica, Macropaedia book 28, page 888) using Polar coordinates for the formula:
a. r is the hypotenuse (the Cartesian Polar coordinate OP, the side of a right triangle opposite the right angle) describing the line or distance from theta to the top of the animal""s silhouette.
b. x-axis is the distance in hundreds of yards from theta, or the shooter, to the base of y (the Cartesian Polar coordinate OM) describes the line or distance from the base of the shooter to the bottom of the target""s silhouette. Described as a single figure prefix, 400yards will be identified as 4. Percentages of 100 yards will be attached as a double digit suffix, as in 50% of the distance between 400 and 500 yards will be identified as 450 yards.
c. Theta (e) is the interpolated angle, constructed while raising line r above line x to subtend, or outline, the target""s height for the purpose of measuring distance to said target or animal.
d. y-axis is the height of the target (the Cartesian Polar coordinate MP) from the x axis line where it intersects the ninety degree angle and is described vertically from that point to the intersection of the r axis line. In hunting, this is the withers-to-brisket silhouette outline, measured in inches, for distance measurement from the hunter to the animal from 300 to 400 yards or the shoulder to hoof measurement, in inches, for measuring distances to 700 yards. Interpolation accuracy is directly proportional to the percentage of target to measuring bar, i.e., a 50/50 relationship is extremely accurate; as the ratio decreases, accuracy is lost.
2. Distance Measurement Formula:
a. y÷xcex8=x, in other words,
(1) should an elk""s chest outline be 24inches deep from withers to brisket and it requires
(2) six Grid Lines (from a rifle scope reticle delineating xe2x80x9cGrid Linexe2x80x9d measurements of one inch at 100 yards),
(3) to outline the elk""s chest,
(4) 24÷6=4. The answer is 400 yards (III, A, 1, b, para two).
B. Computing bullet drop. Optimal criteria: bullets with not less than .250Sectional Density (SD) and .350 Ballistic Coefficient (BC) fired in the BC range of 2600 to 3400 feet per second (fps).
1. Sight in at 200 yards. Using the same 200 yard sight picture, fire a group at 300 yards. Measure the drop in inches. This figure becomes the xe2x80x9cFactorxe2x80x9d which is used to compute vertical bullet drop, wind drift deflection both horizontally and vertically and gravity correction for both up hill and down hill angle correction.
2. Bullet drop is progressively curvilinear. However, it is quickly predictable out to .72seconds of free flight (450 yardsxe2x80x94.308Winchester, 500xe2x80x9430/06, 600xe2x80x947 mm. Remington Magnum and 700 yards for a 30/378 with ** high energy maneuverability bullets).
C. The formula. Triple the Factor for the 400 yard bullet drop, double the 400 yard drop for 500 yards and double the 500 yard figurexe2x80x94less tenxe2x80x94for the 600 yard drop. For instance, a Six Factor bullet (100 grain 7 mm. Remington Magnum fired at 3,200 fps) will compute thusly:
1. 300 yard drop: The Factorxe2x80x946
2. 400 yard drop: 3xc3x976=18 xe2x80x3
3. 500 yard drop: 18xc3x972=36 xe2x80x3
4. 600 yard drop: 36xc3x972=72xe2x88x9210=62 xe2x80x3
D. Computing the bullet deflection due to wind drift.
1. The applicable Factor becomes the 10 mph wind correction, applied in a linear manner.
a. 300 yard drift=6xe2x80x3
b. 400 yard drift is 6+6=12xe2x80x3
C. 500 yard drift is 12+6=18xe2x80x3
d. 600 yard drift is 18+6=24xe2x80x3
e. A 5 mph wind would be half the value, a 20mph wind would be twice the value.
E. Computing Magnus (Yaw Repose) crosswind values.
1. Magnus makes the bullet rise with a right-to-left crosswind, drop with a left crosswind.
2. Take xc2xcth the horizontal value and add it vertically to the final aiming point using the reticle wind bar as a transparency overlay.
F. Computing uphill downhill gravity values.
1. Angle shots require less hold over due to less gravity pull. Bullet drag remains the same. The formula for a 60 degree angle shot:
a. 200 yards; reduce holdover ⅔rds the Factor, 4xe2x80x3.
b. 300 yards; double the previous value, 8xe2x80x3.
C. 400 yards, double the previous value, 16xe2x80x3.
d. 500 yards; double the previous value, 32xe2x80x3.
IV. Constructing the Reticle
One of the most popular hunting rifles is the .300 Weatherby magnum, shooting a 180 grain Hornady Spire Point bullet. Constructing a reticle for this bullet in accordance with the TDS TRI-FACTOR MENTAL BALLISTICS System,
A. Measurement Grid Lines
1. These would be set at 2, 5, 7.5 and 10.5 as reference lines for measurement in accordance with the TRI-FACTOR formulas.
B. Drop Compensation Bars or Crosshairs
1. These would position, in accordance with the TRI-FACTOR formulas, a Six Factor bullet at the #2 Grid Line or 6 inches low at 300 yards (6 inch drop at 300 yards), at the #4.5 Grid Line or 18inches low at 400(3xc3x976=18), at the 7.2 Grid Line or 36 inches low at 500 yards (18xc3x972=36) and at 600 yards at the 10.33 Grid Line or 62inches low (36xc3x972xe2x88x9210). These numbers were found to be accurate for the bullet but extremely counter intuitive for a rifleman under stress to divide for distance measurement. Therefore, the Grid Lines were changed to 4.8, 7.5 and 10.5. They are alluded to as 2, 5, 7.5 and 10.5 for easier recollection. This slight change has no effect on the actual measurement or bullet drop compensation but is essential to keep the shooter in a proper Brain Model for accurate and repeatable shooting, for the shooter to make a fast and accurate shot. Extensive tests have proven that the system is within 3% accuracy of a laser device.
2. The Wind Bars
a. These would position, in accordance with the TRI-FACTOR formulas,
(1) Crosshair #2 Wind Bar=2 Inch Angles
(2) Crosshair #3 Wind Bar=3 Inch Angles
(3) Crosshair #4 Wind Bar=3.6 Inch Angles
(4) Crosshair #5 Wind Bar=4 Inch Angles
b. However, to accommodate all six of the Factor rifles and remain accurate to + or xe2x88x921.5 mph, the Wind Bars were changed to
(1) Crosshair #2 Wind Bar=2.06 Inch Angles
(2) Crosshair #3 Wind Bar=2.95 Inch Angles
(3) Crosshair #4 Wind Bar=4.16 Inch Angles
(4) Crosshair #5 Wind Bar=4.86 Inch Angles